CMS releases 2024 Medicare Parts A and B premiums and deductibles
Premiums and deductibles for Part B physician and outpatient care are both increasing next year.
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The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has released the 2024 premiums, deductibles, and coinsurance amounts for the Medicare Part A and Part B and the 2024 Medicare Part D income-related monthly adjustment amounts.
WHAT'S THE IMPACT? PART B Premiums and Deductibles
Medicare Part B covers physicians' services, outpatient hospital services, certain home health services, durable medical equipment, and certain other medical and health services not covered by Medicare Part A.
The standard monthly premium for Medicare Part B enrollees will be $174.70 for 2024, an increase of $9.80 from $164.90 in 2023.
The annual deductible for all Medicare Part B beneficiaries will be $240 in 2024, an increase of $14 from the annual deductible of $226 in 2023.
The increase in the 2024 Part B standard premium and deductible is mainly due to projected increases in healthcare spending and, to a lesser degree, the remedy for the 340B-acquired drug payment policy for the 2018-2022 period under the Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System, CMS said. Due to the court ruling in July in American Hospital Association v. Becerra, CMS proposed to make additional payments to affected providers for 340B-acquired drugs as a one-time lump-sum payment.
Beginning in 2023, individuals whose full Medicare coverage ended 36 months after a kidney transplant and who do not have certain other types of insurance coverage can elect to continue Part B coverage of immunosuppressive drugs by paying a premium. For 2024, the standard immunosuppressive drug premium is $103.
Since 2007, a beneficiary's Part B monthly premium has been based on his or her income. These income-related monthly adjustment amounts affect roughly 8% of people with Medicare Part B. The 2024 Part B total premiums for high-income beneficiaries with full Part B coverage may be found at CMS.
Medicare Part A Premiums and Deductibles
Medicare Part A covers inpatient hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, hospice, inpatient rehabilitation, and some home healthcare services.
About 99% of Medicare beneficiaries do not have a Part A premium, since they have the required minimum 40 quarters of Medicare-covered employment.
The Medicare Part A inpatient hospital deductible that beneficiaries pay if admitted to the hospital will be $1,632 in 2024, an increase of $32 from $1,600 in 2023.
The Part A inpatient hospital deductible covers beneficiaries' share of costs for the first 60 days of Medicare-covered inpatient hospital care in a benefit period.
In 2024, beneficiaries must pay a coinsurance amount of $408 per day for the 61st through 90th day of a hospitalization ($400 in 2023) in a benefit period and $816 per day for lifetime reserve days ($800 in 2023). For beneficiaries in skilled nursing facilities, the daily coinsurance for days 21 through 100 of extended care services in a benefit period will be $204 in 2024, compared to $200.00 in 2023.
Enrollees age 65 and older who have fewer than 40 quarters of coverage and certain persons with disabilities pay a monthly premium in order to voluntarily enroll in Medicare Part A.
Individuals who had at least 30 quarters of coverage or were married to someone with at least 30 quarters of coverage may buy into Part A at a reduced monthly premium rate, which will be $278 in 2024, the same amount as 2023. Certain uninsured aged individuals who have less than 30 quarters of coverage and certain individuals with disabilities who have exhausted other entitlement will pay the full premium, which will be $505 a month in 2024, a $1 decrease from 2023.
Medicare Part D Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amounts
Since 2011, a beneficiary's Part D monthly premium has been based on his or her income. These income-related monthly adjustment amounts affect roughly 8% of people with Medicare Part D.
These individuals will pay the income-related monthly adjustment amount in addition to their Part D premium. Part D premiums vary and regardless of how a beneficiary pays their Part D premium, the Part D income-related monthly adjustment amounts are deducted from Social Security benefit checks or paid directly to Medicare.
Roughly two-thirds of beneficiaries pay premiums directly to the plan while the remainder have their premiums deducted from their Social Security benefit checks.
THE LARGER TREND
The Medicare Savings Programs help more than 10 million people with coverage of Medicare premiums and, in most cases, other cost sharing.
The Department of Health and Human Services through CMS, recently finalized a rule to streamline enrollment in MSPs, making coverage more affordable for an estimated 860,000 people.
In addition, the Part D low‑income subsidy helps pay for the Part D premium and lowers the cost of prescription drugs. Further, the Inflation Reduction Act recently expanded the number of people eligible for the full low-income subsidy.
Twitter: @SusanJMorse
Email the writer: SMorse@himss.org
